Chapter 3: Anna
Jane awoke feeling more tired than when she'd gone to sleep. The sights and sounds of Liz's conversion had kept playing around in her head and she'd found it hard to stop thinking about Tanya. The result had been a night of fitful sleep and tossing and turning. She prepared herself for the day putting on her patrol uniform, making herself something to eat and then heading to the morning debrief in the council building.
While Eric explained the situation to all the patrol groups Jane took the chance to look around at the worried faces. She noticed that only Liz and Tanya were missing. The fact that no one else was taken yesterday was good news and she felt the weight lift slightly from her shoulders. There were 40 patrol guards and the fact they'd now be patrolling separately sped up their daily routine significantly. No one really liked to be beyond the village boundary.
As the briefing was called to an end Jane got up to leave but Eric called over.
'Morning Jane, You sure you're ok to work today?'
'Yes sir, I'd rather just get on with it.'
'That's what I thought. Would you mind taking Anna out with you? It'll only be for today. Just feel her first outing should be supervised' For the first time Jane noticed a small woman in her early twenties just a bit behind Eric. She was short and skinny with mousey hair and large green eyes.
'I can assure you she passed all the training.' Continued Eric.
'Yeah sure. Come on Anna, we'd better go.' Said Jane wearily and started to walk toward the exit. Anna followed. After a few minutes of silent walking Anna decided to try and break the tension
'Thanks for helping me.' she ventured
'Don't mention it. Look, we're about to leave the village. It's probably best we stay silent. We can talk lots when we get back.' Said Jane 'If we get back' She thought to herself.
The pair left the village and treaded silently through the forest eastwards. They walked silently in almost a straight line for 2 hours before stopping for a brief silent break. Anna had never been this far from the village and she was slightly nervous to get back but she tried to enjoy the forest whilst they sat. After 10 minutes they continued along their route turning South West before they would eventually turn North west to complete their triangular circuit. When they were about an hour from completing their route Anna pulled up sharp. She signalled for Jane to crouch down with her and indicated that she'd heard something. They looked around until Jane caught sight of two figures coming from the East towards them. They both knew if they tried to hide they'd be spotted. They had to run. They launched off in opposite directions. Jane to the South and Anna to the North. The figures split and gave chase.
Anna had been running flat out for 10 minutes before she risked looking back. She couldn't make out anyone following her so she pulled up behind a tree to catch her breath all the time listening for sounds that could be another human. Nothing. She was alone. She tracked the direction of the sun and turned to go home and report what had happened but as she stepped out from behind the tree she felt a sharp pain like a bee sting in her neck. Her hand instantly raised to the site of the pain where it found a bright purple blow dart. She felt her heart skip and ran again. The soldier hiding in the tree didn't bother following her. His job was done.
About the same time as the patrols were being briefed Michael stepped into the Intelligence centre lab to find a small note from Eve stating that she'd left very early to collect data from yesterday's incident site. There was nothing unusual about it so Michael carried on setting up for his day's work. He was the only other person on the intelligence team besides Eve and he enjoyed his work. Well he enjoyed the science part of it. The attempts at espionage and other spy stuff bored him. Give him some enemy tech and he'd be happy all day. Unfortunately it had been a long while since he had had anything real to look at so he'd spent his days on data analysis and intercepting signals. Not that it ever got him anywhere. He sighed. It was going to be another one of those days.
Around midday he was getting ready to eat. A morning of number crunching had his head in a spin. Food would help. But as he was taking his first bite Jane and Anna burst into the lab looking very worried. Jane marched over to where he sat and placed a blow dart on the table in front of him.
'What is this?!' She demanded as Michael picked it up and looked closer.
'Calm down. Where did you get it?' He asked, trying to relax the atmosphere which was tense enough to cut with a knife. Jane took a deep breath and visibly calmed.
'We were ambushed in the forest and as we fled this was fired into Anna's neck.'
'Ok let's have a look' Said Michael crossing to a microscope
'How are you feeling Annabella?' He asked
'It's Anna! And I feel fine. Just worried about that dart' Replied Anna curtly. She hated to be called by her full name.
'Well It's a good sign that you feel normal. They have darts that can do some nasty things. Ah, here we go. The dart did contain something. Something purple in colour.' He altered the settings on his microscope.
'I've seen this before briefly. Give me a second.' He pulled a journal from a book shelf and flicked the pages. The others watched closely.
'Ah here are. A purple serum shot within a dart. Found date blah blah blah. Effect on Human females: The serum once in the body will multiply and expand throughout changing the body as it goes. This may happen in a matter of hours or up to a few weeks. The end result leaves the victim looking like a bimbo. There appears to be no effect on brain capacity or skin sensitively. Oh dear.'
Michael and Jane were staring at Anna. Neither wanting to speak first. Anna broke the silence herself.
'So what now?'
'Well I guess you'll have to go into quarantine until we can work out what to do next. Sorry' Replied Michael.
'Quarantine!' Anna called out in shock.
'It's the safest way.' Said Jane softly.
'We have a Quarantine Flat at the end of the hall. We keep it fully stocked and prepared for incidents like this and there's an emergency call out system should you need to contact me or Eve during power down periods. We'll have to put you in there.' Michael suggested. Anna sighed visibly upset by the prospect but she raised her head.
'Lead the way then.'
Michael showed Anna around the flat and then went apologising lots as he left her alone. Anna looked around and then sat down to wonder what would happen next.
Eve had set out before sunrise to make sure she was well away by the time the morning patrol started. Her plan was simple. She would go far into the forest and then use a radio device. This would hopefully trigger a response and they would come and track her down. She could then state her case and they should take her seriously. Well this is the way she hoped it would go.
She had set out in what she thought was the direction of the nearest city and had been walking for at least 3 hours before she felt sure that she was out of the patrol range. She found a small but obvious clearing and set up the radio. Taking a deep breath and feeling slightly nervous Eve pressed the transmit button and held her finger down for a good minute. She calculated that should be long enough for them to pinpoint her position. She looked around at every noise that should be heard expecting them to arrive at any moment. After ten minutes or so she was starting to get worried and was about to try the radio again when she heard quick footsteps coming towards her. She turned to see three armed men running in her direction. Her heart raced. The plan was working. The men reached her, surrounded her and pointed their weapons at her. Eve barely moved.
'You're coming with us!' Shouted Captain Phillips at her
'Oh I intend to.' Replied Eve in a carefree way.
'Wait what?' Said Phillips slightly taken back.
'I wish to join your cause. I'm sick of fighting and want to keep my brain and this is the only way I see that happening is by joining willingly'
'Err, right, yeah. No one ever takes that option normally. I guess that's ok though you'll have to sit an interview.'
'Sure, lead the way' Smiled Eve. Phillips grunted, Disappointed that he wouldn't get to have any fun today and signalled to his men who escorted Eve silently back to a small flying craft and wordlessly throw her in the back. Eve found herself in a white sterile space with no windows and two benches on either side. She took a seat and felt the craft take off. It took over an hour to reach the destination and Eve was glad since she had been dying of nervous boredom. The door swung open to reveal a white featureless corridor with only one door at the end. There didn't appear to be anyone else around. Eve waited for a moment before stepping out into the corridor. The door slammed behind her. The only way now was forward. She walked slowly toward the door. It opened suddenly as she reached it and she stepped inside. The room she stepped into was a sterile white again with a table in the centre with a chair either side. One of the chairs was already occupied by a dark haired woman with stunning good looks. There was something more classy about her than the bimbos that Eve had seen in the propaganda. She looked smart and wore a black mini skirt with a suit jacket and a blouse with the top bottoms undone so her ample cleavage could be seen. She looked up from her paperwork and indicated for Eve to sit. Eve sat across from her.
'Name?' Demanded the woman.
'E.. Eve' Eve nervously replied
'Reason for joining?'